Nautical bar server

ABSTRACT

Marine Equipment, more specifically, an apparatus that provides a durable, stable and secure, portable, full service liquor, beverage, and bar accessory storage, display and server box designed for nautical vessels in a marine environment that are subjected to rocking in water. The apparatus can best be described as a box made of plastic composite board with cut-outs on the top of the box. The cut-outs securely accommodate various bar items such as liquor bottles, wine bottles, ice bucket, wine cooler, blender, shaker cup, glasses, a cutting board, and condiment trays. The “fixed top” embodiment of the invention has a wood molding trim top rail for preventing items sitting on the box from sliding off due to the vessel rocking in water. The “storage box with slide-in, interchangeable utility tops” embodiment of the invention provides a storage box plus a full service bar top, a food preparation and service top, and a cutting board top that can be used to filet fish or as a general purpose table top for activities such as rigging bait. A stainless steel bottle opener and bar tool set are bolted to the side of the box. The box may be bolted to a mounting bracket which is designed to slide in and securely lock into a rod holder.

Related documents consist of two provisional patents that I filed in 2010. The first provisional patent was filed Jun. 23, 2010, Application No. 61/357,614, Confirmation #3771, Title: Nautical Bar Server. The second provisional patent was filed Aug. 24, 2010, Application No. 61/376,394, Confirmation #3281, Nautical Storage Box with Slide-in Interchangeable Utility Tops. I was advised by an attorney to integrate the two patents into a single utility patent.

The objective of the invention was to solve the problem of having no way to securely store, prepare and serve beverage items on a boat subject to rocking due to wave action. Boats typically do not have a preparation table surface with trim to prevent items from sliding off, a cutting board surface, or a secure bottle storage, display, preparation and serving apparatus. Therefore, I had to get a cup, get ice out of the cooler, get liquor, mixers and condiments from several different and inconvenient storage places on the boat. Given no flat surface, I had to sit on the floor of the boat to make drinks. The rocking boat would cause filled cups and bottles to fall over and liquor and mixers bottles would spill. When finished making a drink, I would have to put everything back to various storage places. I had to go through the entire arduous process every time someone wanted a drink. These previously existing problems are all solved by the Nautical Bar Server and my objective was successfully met. The Nautical Bar Server is a unique, original apparatus that provides a stable and secure full service beverage and/or food bar, as well as cutting board and rigging table for nautical vessels that are subjected to rocking in water.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of endeavor to which this invention pertains is Marine Supplies, specifically equipment for storing, displaying, preparing and serving drinks and/or food, being more specifically a nautical bar server box with the option of interchangeable, slide-in utility tops which provide for additional marine related uses such as storing lures, rigging bait, filleting fish and more.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides an apparatus that provides a durable, stable and secure, portable, full service liquor, beverage, and bar accessory storage, display and server box designed for nautical vessels in a marine environment that are subject to rocking in water. The apparatus can best be described as a box made of durable, marine grade plastic composite board with cut-outs on the top of the box. The cut-outs securely accommodate various bar items such as liquor bottles, wine bottles, ice bucket, wine cooler, blender, shaker cup, glasses, a cutting board, and condiment trays. The “fixed top” embodiment of the invention has a wood molding trim top rail for preventing items sitting on the box from sliding off due to the vessel rocking in water. The “storage box with slide-in, interchangeable utility tops” embodiment of the invention provides a storage box plus a full service bar top, a food preparation and service top, and a cutting board top that can be used to filet fish or as a general purpose table top for activities such as rigging bait. A stainless steel bottle opener and bar tool set are bolted to the side of the box. The box may be bolted to a mounting bracket which is designed to slide in and securely lock into a rod holder along the gunwale of a vessel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the “fixed top” embodiment of the Nautical Bar Server.

FIG. 2 is a view of the bottom of the Nautical Bar Server showing holes for bolt inserts and the screws along the edge which secure the bottom to the sides of Bar.

FIG. 3 is the “Interchangeable, Slide-In Top” embodiment of the Nautical Bar Server.

FIG. 4 is the “Cutting Board and/or Table Top” Slide-In Top.

FIG. 5 is the “Bar & Beverage Service” Slide-In Top.

FIG. 6 is the “Food Service” Slide-In Top.

PHOTO 1 is the only means to show the Nautical Bar Server bolted to mounting bracket which is securely locked into rod holder along Gunwale of vessel.

PHOTO 2 is the only means to show bottle opener and bar tool set bolted to Bar.

PHOTO 3 is the only means to show the “Bar Slide-In Top” on Nautical Bar Server.

PHOTO 4 is the only means to show Slide-In Cutting Board Top with storage inside box.

PHOTO 5 is the only means to show Box use for Storage.

PHOTO 6 is the only means to show “Tailgate Version” mounted to trailer hitch.

PHOTO 7 is the only means to show Bar without Mount.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides an apparatus that provides a durable, stable and secure, portable, full service liquor, beverage, and bar accessory storage, display and server box designed for nautical vessels that are subject to rocking in water.

One embodiment of the Nautical Server Box 7 may comprise a “Starboard” (type of plastic composite board which is a very durable, trademarked product commonly used on boats and for marine products) box with cut-outs on the top of the box. The cut-outs may securely accommodate various items that a user may require convenient access to. In one aspect, the cut-outs may accommodate various bar items such as mixers 3, liquor bottles 4, ice bucket 2, shaker cup 9, glasses 5, a cutting board 8, and condiment trays 6. The box may also comprise a wood molding trim top rail 1 for preventing items sitting on the box from sliding off due to the vessel rocking in water. The box may employ mounting bracket attaching means comprising four holes 13 on the bottom adapted to receive the bolts of a mounting bracket which is designed to securely fit into the rod holder. Two holes 10 are provided along the side 18 of box to receive the bolts which attach a bottle opener. Two holes 11 are provided along same side for bolting bar tool set to the box (PHOTO 2).

One embodiment of said box is a fixed top FIG. 1 attached to sides of box with stainless steel screws and finished with wood trim molding. The bottom of the box is securely attached to the sides with stainless steel screws FIG. 2 inserted into holes along the edges 12 of the bottom of the bar 21. Four holes 13 are provided in the central portion of the bottom of the box to insert the bolts securing the mounting bracket to the bar. A second embodiment of said box is a box design FIG. 3 with removable, interchangeable tops FIGS. 4, 5, 6 which easily slide into and out of the box from the front of box 20 via slotted tracks 19 in the interior sides 17, 18 of the box. The top sits on a shelf 14 which runs along the inside of the rear side 16 of the box. The top is secured to the box through a hole 15 in which a stainless steel, quick release pin is inserted. The interchangeable tops can be designed for a cutting board 22, FIG. 4 (PHOTO 4); beverage service FIG. 5 (PHOTO 3); food service FIG. 6 which provides cut-outs designed for bowls 24, plates 25, condiments 26, napkins 27, utensils 28, and a rectangular serving tray 29. The invention may also be used for a plurality of marine related uses such as bait rigging or fishing cleaning (PHOTO 4). This embodiment of said box provides for stable and dry storage of fishing tackle (PHOTO 5), utensils, service items and more. The items stored in the box can be easily accessed by simply pulling the pin and sliding the top toward the front and/or off the box. The box provides effective storage, display and service means, especially designed for stabilization given a rocking boat.

The box with attached mounting bracket may easily be inserted and easily removed from the fishing rod holders located along the gunwale of a boat. (PHOTO 1) The four holes may also provide the means to attach said box to a mount designed to fit into a trailer hitch, allowing said bar server box to be used as a vehicle accessory for tailgating, camping or other activity requiring a stable server box mounted to a vehicle via the tailgate (PHOTO 6). The box can be used without a mount on any flat surface (PHOTO 7).

The manner and process of making said box commences with cutting appropriate size pieces of plastic composite board from a 56″×96″×½″ sheet with a table saw equipped with a 80 tooth carbide tipped blade that is specially designed to effective cut plastic composite board. Each box consist of at least six pieces of plastic composite board which are attached together to form the four sides, bottom and top of box. Multiple, interchangeable tops are provided for one embodiment of box. Round holes with various sizes corresponding to the intended use are cut out of the top of the box using an adjustable circle cutting bit attached to a drill press. Unique shaped holes and slots designed to accommodate various uses such as wine stem glasses, condiment trays, a teak wood cutting board and more, are cut out of the tops with a router guided by custom made jigs, or a jigsaw. Four holes are drilled in one side of the box to accommodate a bottle opener and a bar tool set. Four holes are drilled in the central portion of the bottom of the box to accommodate the bolts which attach the rod holder mounting bracket to the box.

In one embodiment of the invention, the next step is to drill screw holes in the top, bottom and sides which allow the box to be assembled and secured together with stainless steel screws. 6′ Strips of wood trim “Ell” molding are cut at a 45° angle with a mitre saw, sanded, hand painted with 3 coats of outdoor paint, glued together and attached to the top with glue and brads inserted along the sides of the molding with a nail gun.

In a second embodiment of the invention, screw holes are not drilled in the top. Instead slotted tracks are cut out of the inside of the sides and rear of the box with a router bit. The bottom and four sides of the box are attached together with stainless steel screws and the top slides into position. A ¾″ wide strip of Starboard is attached to the inside of the rear side of the box providing a shelf for the slide-in top to sit on and be pinned to.

Once the slide-in top is in place, a hole is drilled through the top and rear inside shelf which is designed to accommodate a 2″ stainless steel quick release pin which is easily inserted and removed. The quick release pin secures the top in place.

A teak wood cutting board is cut to shape with a table saw. The edges are rounded with a router and sanded. The cutting board is placed in a specially designed hole in the top of the box. The hole is designed with a router bit to provide a ½″ wide shelf for the teak cutting board to sit on and be flush with the top of the box. The stainless steel bottle opener and bar tool set are bolted to the side of the box. A stainless steel plaque with Trademark name is taped and then screwed to the front side of the box. All of the edges of the box are sanded by either a palm sander, sanding bit attached to a drill press, or by hand with sandpaper. The process of making the bar is complete.

The bar and additional interchangeable tops are stored in a heavy duty canvas carrying case while vessel is underway and bar is not in use. A bottle and accessories bag is provided. Once anchored, the bar is removed from the carrying case and the mounting bracket is inserted into the rod holder and locked securely into place with a lever. Reuseable “ice” packs are placed in the box to keep the contents of the condiment trays and bottles chilled. The ice bucket, condiment trays, glasses, bottles, shaker and accessories are placed in the appropriate hole or slot. Ice is placed in the ice bucket. Liquor and beverages are displayed and conveniently accessible for users. The glasses sit securely in a hole while being filled with ice and beverage of choice. Limes and other condiments are contained in covered condiment trays. These trays can also be used for crackers, cheese bites and more.

Regarding the nautical bar server with interchangeable, slide-in, utility tops, several tops are provided in the carrying case. If the storage box with cutting board is desired, the box is filled with desired items and the cutting board top slides into place and is secured with a pin. If the nautical bar server top is desired, the bar service top slides into place and accessories are placed appropriately. If the food service top is desired, it is simply slid into place and bowls, plates, napkins and utensils are placed appropriately.

When finished using nautical bar server, inserted items are removed and placed in accessory storage bag. The bar can be rinsed (if desired), dried and returned to storage carrying case.

The foregoing description of preferred, exemplary or other embodiments of is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the Applicant. In exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein, the Applicant desires all patent rights afforded by the appended claims. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalent thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable apparatus for securely storing, displaying, preparing and serving food and beverages on a boat subjected to rocking due to wave action, comprising: a box with a top, a bottom, left side, right side, a back side and front side; the top of the box defining a plurality of holes for receiving and securely holding bottles, ice buckets, condiment trays, glasses, plates, utensils, napkins and more; a box having a bottom support surface and a sidewall or trim molding that rises above the top level surface, thus preventing items from sliding off the top surface; a plurality of holes in the central portion of bottom surface of the box adapted to receive the bolts of a mounting bracket which is designed to easily slide into and lock securely into the rod holder; A plurality of holes in the side of box adapted to receive the bolts which attach a stainless steel bottle opener and bar tool set to the box;
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, also embodies a box design with slide-in, interchangeable utility tops allowing for use of the box for accessible, covered storage; and featuring a slide-in top designed to accommodate a full service bar; a slide-in top designed to accommodate food preparation, display and service; a slide-in top that is a flat surface that can be used as a cutting board or table; additional slide-in utility tops that provide for a wide variety of utility uses.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 can also be mounted to a bracket designed to slide-in and lock into a trailer hitch mount thus providing for use of the invention as a vehicle accessory;
 4. Use of the apparatus of claim 1 without any mounting bracket is claimed; 